Chrono Cross Switcharoo old version
by Sekatre
Summary: i quit. sorry. see the other one. [points]
1. Thrown into Darkness and Despair

Yeah, it was my idea ta use Chrono Cross in this way, but I can't take all the credit. It came to mind one day after I was thinking of the way DominoDS had reversed Mary Jane and Peter. So it's partially their influence.  
  
One: Thrown into Darkness and Despair  
  
"Kid!"  
  
Kid stirred in her bed. One arm hit the floor and she sat up with a start. "Huh?"  
  
"KID!" her father's call rattled the windows of Arni yet again.  
  
"Coming, Dad." Kid groaned. She brushed her matted blond hair, tying it back in a braid. Throwing on her usual outfit (red vest, red skirt, white halter top, boots, gloves, pendant), she slid downstairs for breakfast.  
  
"Your cousin was here." Wazuki told his daughter as she came down.  
  
"What did she want this time?" Kid asked dully.  
  
"She was with Adam." Wazuki told her.  
  
Kid's eyes misted over. Adam was Leena's boyfriend, but Kid had had a crush on him ever since she was little. It was he who had comforted her after she had been attacked by that panther when she was little, and lost her mother, Marge.  
  
"Kid, are you in dreamland again?"  
  
"Eh?" Kid snapped awake. "Oh, sorry." She stood. "I'll go see A-uh, whatever Leena wanted."  
  
"She just wanted to see if-" Wazuki was cut off as Kid ran out the door. He sighed, a wry smile touching his lips. "Energetic little kid. Oh well."  
  
Kid darted out of her house, stopping short at the pier. Adam was standing with Leena, watching the children play and splash about in the water. They were talking in low tones, Leena laughing every once in a while. Then Adam leaned over and kissed Leena deeply on the lips.  
  
"Ahem." Kid crossed her arms and gave Leena a look of pure venom. Leena returned it.  
  
"Oh, yeah. You." Leena suppressed a grimace. "Adam was going to get me some Komodo Dragon scales for my necklace, right Adam?" she leaned against his chest. Leena knew about Kid's secret crush on Adam, and took every chance she had to boil Kid in a kettle of jealousy.  
  
"Uh. . .yeah. . ." Adam was surprised by the sudden movement.  
  
"And I wanted you to go with him to make sure he didn't get hurt." Leena shot Kid a do-it-or-I'll-tell-him-everything look.  
  
"Do it yourself." Kid waved her away.  
  
"I can't! I'm watching the kids!"  
  
"Why would you want some dumb Komodo Dragon scales anyway?!"  
  
"They're not dumb!"  
  
"Yeah, not nearly as dumb as your face!"  
  
Leena quivered on the point of infuriation. "KID. . ."  
  
"Fine, whatEVER."  
  
"And remember, Addykins, three scales, and meet me at Opassa Beach when you have them." Leena told him. Kid turned away and stuck her finger down her throat.  
  
Kid looked at Adam sharply. "Are we going or are we gonna stand here all day?"  
  
"Coming." Adam shared a loving look with Leena before following Kid.  
  
Kid glanced back to see Leena sink to her knees, her eyes dreamy. 'Blech. . .I don't ever want a boyfriend.'  
  
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"Kid?" Adam called.  
  
'He's such a dummy, isn't he? I'm right here.' Kid thought bitterly. "Here's another one." She unceremoniously ripped the scale from the back of the dragon's head, tossing it to Adam as he came into sight of her. Adam faltered, unable to catch the scale. He bent to pick it up as Kid continued. 'What did I ever see in him? He acts all sexy in the village, but once outside, he's a little baby. He was too afraid of the last Komodo Dragon to even touch it. Pitiful!'  
  
"I think we have them all." Adam told her, shying away from a branch that resembled a Komodo Dragon's tail.  
  
"One more." Kid told him. "Leena said three, you told me. We've got two." 'Holy Sky Dragon, the guy can't even count?!'  
  
Kid continued down the path until she spotted the last Komodo Dragon. "I got him!" she called to Adam. She sprinted after the dragon, dagger raised. "If you have to make this hard on me, I'll have to make it hard on you!"  
  
The Komodo Dragon swerved slightly, and Kid nearly ran into a nearby bush. Swerving just in time, she followed the dragon down the small hill. She jumped down from the ledge as the dragon continued across a bridge. They repeated this entire route almost four times before Kid managed to catch up to it. Leaping on top of it, she pinned it down and buried her dagger into its exposed throat. "Hate to kill that one, but he wouldn't let up." she muttered, her forehead dripping with perspiration. Removing the other scale, she dropped it into Adam's hand. How he missed this one no one will ever know, but somehow it fell through his hands and landed on the ground. Kid turned around to shake her head without him seeing, but gave a yelp as his hair brushed her backside on his way down to get the scale. "Watch your head!" she told him angrily, spinning around and backing away. Adam turned red and mumbled an apology.  
  
Kid walked through the end of Lizard Rock to Opassa Beach. The beach was vacant, save the live Komodo Dragon that had been stripped of its scale quickly diving into the sea. She turned back to Adam, who was immersed in examining the coral.  
  
"Hot-Head isn't here yet. Good." Kid strode up to the beach. Hands on her hips, she studied the sea through dark blue eyes. She remembered clearly the sensation of swimming in its depths, feeling light-hearted and carefree. That had been ten years ago, when she was six. She had been drifting in the water when there suddenly wasn't anything underneath her. Trying to reach shore, she had panicked, and begun thrashing about. This was the thing her parents had told her not to do when she was drowning, but at the time she was too scared to remember. Everything else was a blur. She had looked down, to see a prosperous, functioning, undersea ecosystem. Fish swam by her body as her strength diminished. But she remembered that. What she didn't remember wasn't very clear. Her head breaking the surface of the water, a wet gloved hand reaching out for hers, a flash of blue. That was all. She had, at first, supposed it was her father, but Wazuki hadn't been wearing gloves that day. Besides, the hand had felt young and strong.  
  
"Dreaming again, Dumb Blond?" Leena asked. Kid turned to see her with Adam's arm around her shoulders.  
  
"Don't call me that!" Kid screamed. She hated it whenever Leena called her a dumb blond.  
  
"Whatever. Just go off somewhere to dream or something." Leena turned back to Adam as Kid stalked off angrily.  
  
Kid tried to force herself to go off into a dream as Adam began to sweet- talk Leena, as he always did. But dreams never come when bidden. They enwrap you when they want to, wild and free.  
  
After a while, Kid began to go off into a dream. It was, as always, unintentional. She began to trace a light circle on her leg with her dagger. Vaguely, she wondered what it would look like if she brought blood. Almost without thinking, she pressed the dagger a little harder. Blood flowed easily from the small scratch, staining the dagger. Kid admired the dagger, the way the blood made a stain, small and perfect, almost like art. The blood against her pale skin also had a quiet beauty of its own. What was it that was so familiar about the dagger. . .and the blood. . .  
  
"Ow! That must hurt!" Leena remarked. Kid jerked awake, and realized what she had done to herself.  
  
"Yeah. It does. I shouldn't have done that. . ." But it didn't hurt. It didn't hurt at all. Almost as if it wasn't her blood on the dagger. . .almost as if it were someone else's. . .  
  
"Dreamer, we're getting ready to go." Leena shook her shoulder. Kid nodded, wiping away the blood with her thumb. She stood, sheathing the dagger.  
  
'Kid. . .'  
  
"Eh?" Kid glanced around.  
  
"What?" Leena gave her a funny look. "You're acting kinda weird. . ."  
  
"Didn't you hear that?" Kid asked.  
  
"Hear what?" Adam asked.  
  
"Nothing, it's. . .nothing." Kid took one last look around before following the others toward the exit.  
  
'Kid. . .'  
  
"I KNOW I heard it this time!" Kid exclaimed. She turned toward the sea. "What do you want?!"  
  
There was no response.  
  
"Kid. . ." Leena murmured. Kid took no notice.  
  
"HEY!" Kid yelled, stepping boldly up to the beach.  
  
"Kid, you're beginning to scare me." Leena told her. Kid turned to see the two of them were staring at her.  
  
"Sorry, I just thought I heard-huh?!" Kid looked down. The patch of sand beneath her was beginning to glow. "What the hell. . . ?!" she murmured. Memories flashed through her mind. Running. Screaming. Pain. Blood. Fear. Eyes. . .eyes so yellow. . .eyes that wanted to kill her. . .  
  
Kid shook her head to clear it, staring out into the sea. It was then she noticed the wisps of bluish green light beginning to rise up around her. A light breeze, impossibly coming from the ground, lifted her braid from her shoulders and ruffled her clothes. The sun blinded her as she tried to follow the tresses on their way to the sky with her eyes. A wave from the sea washed all around her feet, as well as the entire beach. But it left her dry. She felt light-headed, almost floating. Her stomach pitched downward for a moment, but she wasn't moving. She felt sick. . .so sick. . .  
  
And then it was over. The sea returned to its normal hue. Kid's vision swirled as her eyes rolled up and she collapsed on the beach.  
  
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"What are you doing there, girl?"  
  
A creaky voice broke through the silence in Kid's mind. She was vaguely aware of something gritty under her, all over her face, arms, legs, and exposed stomach. "Eh . . . ?" she murmured. She found herself face down in the sand of Opassa Beach. Pushing herself up, she shook the sand from her hair, and brushed it off of her clothes.  
  
"For a moment I thought you were a dead body washed ashore." the old woman continued, her pet Komodo Dragon bobbing beside her.  
  
"I'm not." Kid stood up, brushing herself off the rest of the way. "Eh?" she looked around, shaking her head. "Where's Adam and Leena?"  
  
"I believe Leena's in the village, babysitting. Adam might be with her." the old woman turned to go. "Take care of yourself now, girl. Wouldn't want anything to happen to you, now." The pet Komodo dragon followed her to Lizard Rock.  
  
"Just like Leena, to leave me for dead." Kid made sure she was all in one piece, but then looked up. 'Girl. . . ? Isn't that woman from Arni? I should know her. Eamma, that's right. Why didn't she call me by name? Huh, probably just forgot again.' Still confused, but unconcerned, Kid made her way out to the lizard's cove.  
  
On her way to Arni, however, she noticed a sign in Lizard Rock. "Huh? 'Warning: Opassa Beach. Keep out!'" she read aloud. "What's that about?" Shrugging, she turned to continue. "Leena'll probably explain."  
  
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"Oh, Adam, do you mean that?" Leena asked.  
  
"Leena!" Kid called, running up to her.  
  
"Huh?" Leena stood up from her place on the pier.  
  
"What the hell happened back there?!" Kid demanded.  
  
"Who are you? What're you talking about?" Leena asked.  
  
"Don't play dumb, Leena."  
  
"How do you know my name? I've never seen you before."  
  
"Kid! Remember?" Kid told her. "Now what happened?"  
  
"How do you know about Kid?!" Leena demanded, stepping away from Kid as Adam stood up.  
  
"Kid was Leena's cousin." Adam told her. "She drowned ten years ago. It's not funny to joke about it."  
  
"Joke. . . ? Adam, what're you talking about?" Kid asked, now very confused herself. "We were on the beach, and you got Leena those scales-"  
  
"Scales? What would I want with scales when I have this?" Leena asked, showing Kid her Rainbow Shell bracelet.  
  
"I don't remember you having one of those at all. . ." Kid murmured.  
  
"What do you mean you don't remember?" Leena frowned. "If you think you're Kid, you're wrong! I saw her dead body with my own eyes, right before it sank to the bottom of the sea! It's no joke, whoever you are!"  
  
Kid backed away, by now very confused. But she did want to know one thing. "W-what happened to Kid's father. . . ?"  
  
"He died of a broken heart after Kid passed away." Leena explained. "She was the only family he had, and he treasured her, just as he had treasured Marge, his late wife." She sighed. "I'm sorry I blew up at you like that. It was really very rude of me. But if you want to see her grave, it's up on Cape Howl."  
  
Kid didn't hear anymore. Her father was dead, and Leena thought she was dead. Without explanation, she ran blindly through the village. Tears streaked down her face, making trails in the white makeup she usually wore. Familiar faces fleeted before her eyes, but then they were gone. No one knew her. No one recognized her. She felt like she could die.  
  
She ran out of the village, tripping on a rock and scratching an arm. Curling up on a rock, she cried herself to sleep.  
  
A/N: You like? If not, don't bother to stick around for the other chapters. If so, let me know. I'm not askin' much, just push the button under this, and tell me how it is. I'm not demandin' an essay or anythin'!  
  
BTW, I'm working on the second chapter. Serge'll show up, but I'm not done with it yet. I think I'll have them show up at a bar in Termina, but Serge won't be able to drink, what with the holes in his . . .never mind. 


	2. He Comes

This one I hadda force myself to write. There wasn't much emotion or description, which I was trying to put in. I don't know if it's as good as the first chapter. . .but hell, I'll just shut up and let you read.  
  
Two: He Comes. . .  
  
Kid came to slowly on the rock. "Ow!" she cried as she felt the pain in her back from sleeping draped over the rock on her back. Standing, she rubbed the sore spot and looked around her. Forest. All she could see was forest. 'How long have I been out?' she wondered vaguely, looking up at the scarlet streaked sky.  
  
Noticing a sour taste in her mouth, Kid touched her lip to find a small swelling. She must have split it when she tripped, she realized as everything rushed back to her.  
  
She looked over the events of the last few minutes. Confusing. But there was nothing she could do about it. Calm now, she decided the best course of action was to check Cape Howl. If her grave wasn't there, everything would be alright. She'd show Leena and Adam, and her father would be okay.  
  
Decided, she gave herself a nod and made for the cape.  
  
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"Damn thorns. . ." Kid pulled another one out of her leg. "At this rate, it'll take me forever to get there!" she muttered, glaring up at the steadily darkening sky.  
  
As if by a miracle, Kid reached the cape with no other thorns in her way. The others had taken her a great deal of tugging and grimacing. She wiped a bit of blood from a hole in her thigh, and bent beside the gravestone.  
  
Our beloved Kid,  
  
Died age six,  
  
No one can take  
  
anything away from her,  
  
Nor can anyone give  
  
anything to her.  
  
What came from the sea,  
  
Has returned to the sea.  
  
Kid stood, shaking her head. "This isn't right. . ."  
  
"So, you must be Kid, the ghost of the girl who died ten years ago."  
  
Kid whirled to face the voice. "Who wants to know?!"  
  
A purple haired man and two dragoons stepped up to her, barring the way back to the trail out of Cape Howl. Kid ran at them, hoping to scare them into letting her get by. The gambit didn't work.  
  
"Don't move!" the purple-haired man, Deva, from the look of it, put up a hand, stopping her. "We don't wanna hurt you, missy, just come with us."  
  
"But, Sir Karsh," one of the dragoons began, "are you surely sure this is the one we're looking for? She looks like a perfectly perfect fine young lady to me."  
  
"That doesn't matter!" Karsh told him. "We found the girl here, just as SHE told us, didn't we?" He glared at Kid. "Now seize her!" The other two dragoons, Solt and Peppor, moved forward to do so.  
  
"Hold yer seahorses!"  
  
Kid looked up to see a boy of about seventeen standing on a ledge. His blue hair waved in the light breeze, as well as the bandana tied around his head. One hand was on his hip, the other on the weapon he was holding: one of the two blades resting on the soil. Kid recognized it as a sea swallow, from the weapon her father used to wield. The sun glinted off the flawless metal of the other blade, the pointed end an ominous sign to the three would-be-kidnappers.  
  
Confused, Kid kept her eyes on him. Where had she seen him before? Why did she feel he was throwing himself into danger just by being near her?  
  
"Who the-?!" Karsh began, but neglected to finish.  
  
The boy took a leap, somersaulting over the heads of the bemused dragoons, to land right in front of her. His eyes locked with hers for just an instant before he turned to the dragoons. The two of lower class backed up as he took a step forward.  
  
"D-do you have a sh-shakin' idea who you're dealin' with, junior?" Peppor demanded shakily. He didn't sound very convincing.  
  
"Silence!" Karsh yelled at him. "Listen up, missy! We're here to take you in, so come quietly or this ax o' mine'll have to do the talkin'!"  
  
"Would ya just shut up and get on with it?!" the boy shouted back at him. "I'm gonna kick yer sorry arse so hard you'll kiss the moons!"  
  
Karsh growled and ran at the boy, ax raised. The latter blocked the attack easily with his swallow. The two struggled, both pushing, until the boy kicked Karsh in the jaw, causing the Deva to back up.  
  
Meanwhile, Kid was grappling with Solt and Peppor. As she held Solt's ax still, she kicked Peppor, who had attempted to deliver an attack from behind. The two weren't much of a struggle, Kid soon found. As Solt collapsed beside his brother, she turned to see how the other boy was doing. Perspiration was dripping down his forehead as he blocked yet another blow from Karsh. But he was beginning to weaken with fatigue, for he had been the one to try to deliver the most blows to Karsh, instead of vice versa. Kid noticed this, and yanked out her Element grid.  
  
"Electrobolt!" she cried. Karsh was of green innate, and already weakened by the boy's attacks, so this easily finished him off. He stood, along with the other two, bruised and bitterly defeated.  
  
"Aaaaah!" Solt cried and ran down the pathway.  
  
"W-we should shake it outta here, if we want to live to fight another day!" Peppor told Karsh, shaking. "Th-these ain't no ordinary brats we're dealin' with!" he called over his shoulder as he followed his brother.  
  
"Damned idiots. . ." Karsh muttered. He turned to Kid and the boy. "We won't forget this, junior! You'll regret it!"  
  
"Oh, I'm REALLY scared." the boy retorted as Karsh limped quickly after his companions. "Ha! Think I'd lose ta scum like you?!"  
  
With a bitter glare at the retreating dragoons, the boy turned to Kid. "Kid. . .ye're name's Kid, ain't it?"  
  
"Yeah." Kid removed her stare from the pathway. "And you?"  
  
"Me? I'm Serge." Serge told her. "Nice ta meet ya."  
  
Kid looked shyly at him. "So. . .why did you help me?" she asked.  
  
"I couldn't just sit back and watch those blokes gang up on ya like that." Serge told her as they continued up to the edge of the cape. "It pissed the bloody hell outta me, and I wanted ta beat 'em up some more." He grinned at her, crossing his arms. "'Sides, ye're a cute one, mate."  
  
"You're not gonna try anything, are you?" Kid whipped out the wickedly curved dagger.  
  
"Nah." Serge looked out at the sea, silent for a moment. "Hey, Kid." He turned, a sudden inspiration striking him. "How 'bout you and me team up for a while? Those blokes ain't gonna leave ya alone, sure as hell. And, ta tell ya the truth, it's kinda lonely travelin' these islands by meself. . ." he gave her puppy eyes. "So whadd'ya say?"  
  
"Well. . ." Kid paused. Where had she seen him before?! Then it all came back to her. Blood. Dagger. Smirk. Serge. . .  
  
She recognized it all. "Well, I-"  
  
"Then it's settled. We'll shack up in Arni for the night, and make for Termina in the mornin'." Serge nodded.  
  
"Termina? Why Termina?" Kid asked, following him down the path to Arni. She didn't object to his perception of her response.  
  
"News. Maybe we'll find somethin' on that Karsh fella." Serge told her.  
  
Kid paused, but continued to follow. She couldn't shake the terrible feeling of dread from forming a cloud over her mind.  
  
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"Uh."  
  
Kid opened her eyes. Serge was sitting in a corner of the room, polishing one of the blades of his swallow, though his eyes were on her. "Ya like ta sleep then, eh?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah." Kid yawned and climbed out of what used to be her bed.  
  
"That'll be 50G from the both of you, man." the Komodo Dragon lending them the room held out a scaly claw.  
  
"Hope ya choke on it." Serge muttered bitterly under his breath, handing the Komodo Dragon the fee. "Softer beds in Guldove. . ." he turned. "C'mon, Kid."  
  
Kid put her hair, which she had tied in a bun to sleep in, up in a braid again. "'Kay." She followed him toward the exit.  
  
Just as they reached the door, a man stepped into their way. His relaxed expression hardened into a glare as he spotted them. "What're you kids doing here? My house isn't a playground for you kids, you know!"  
  
"Sorry, we were just leaving." Kid told him, trying to edge around him.  
  
"Just don't show up around here again or I'll box your ears!" the man stalked into the house.  
  
"Awfully polite, ain't he?" Serge remarked sarcastically.  
  
Kid shrugged. "I guess he finds a lot of kids in his house right under his nose."  
  
Serge turned toward the exit, but spotted something else. "Hey, who's that red-haired girl who's cussin' out the cook?"  
  
Kid followed his gaze with a mental groan. "That's Leena. She's my cousin, but she says I died ten years ago."  
  
"What?! Ye're as alive as that oak over there!" Serge pointed.  
  
"Um. . .that oak died thirty-seven years ago." Kid told him.  
  
"Ya know what I mean." Serge replied, glancing at the remains of the tree. "But, ya know, that story's a little hard ta believe. I mean, she's yer cousin. . ."  
  
"I'll show you." Kid began down the path of Arni.  
  
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Along the way to Cape Howl, Kid explained the strange occurrence at the beach. She left out the part about the blood. But she was just about to tell him of the strange dream she'd been having throughout the years since she almost drowned ten years ago when Serge cried out.  
  
"Look out!" he called as a Beach Bum directed an attack right for Kid's head. She managed to dodge it, ducking behind the Beach Bum and stabbing it in the vulnerable spot just behind the head, if you could call it that. The Beach Bum shuddered and died.  
  
Kid found they were nearly at the peak, and clambered on up the steeper pathway. "Yeough! Ow! Erch!" she cried, grimacing, as thorns dug into her previous wounds.  
  
"What's-eouch!" Serge cried as another thorn stuck him in the leg. He turned to sit to pull it out.  
  
"Wait, Serge, you're sitting-!"  
  
"YEOWWWIEE!"  
  
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"Ow. Ow. Ow! Ow." Serge muttered thirty minutes later as Kid tugged at the thorns. He was sprawled on his stomach near the peak of Cape Howl. Being unable to reach most of the thorns, Kid had obliged to pull them out.  
  
"Okay, all out." Kid told him, tossing the last one into the small pile.  
  
"Finally. . ." Serge breathed a sigh of relief, turning over on his back. He grimaced, standing quickly. "I'm not gonna be able ta sit down for a week!"  
  
"Would a Tablet or something help?" Kid asked.  
  
"Didn't think of that. Maybe." Serge took out one to cast it.  
  
Once Serge had healed the sharply stinging wounds, though not completely, he joined her at the gravestone. He bent, reading it silently. "Eh?! Ye're really dead. . .ain't ya?"  
  
Kid nodded. "But I don't understand it. I almost drowned ten years ago, but now it seems that was a mistake." She sighed. "It seems I really DID die ten years ago, but I have no memory of it."  
  
"Don't worry, mate, we'll find out what's goin' on here." Serge assured her. "Ye're definitely alive, I just dunno if ye're a different person or not."  
  
"And Serge. . ." Kid began. "There was something I've been wanting to tell you."  
  
"What?" Serge asked, flipping his swallow around nonchalantly.  
  
"For ten years I've had the same nightmare, about once a week, or once a month, if I'm lucky." Kid told him, watching the sea swallow instead of his eyes. "I dreamt I. . .was standing over a boy. . .holding my dagger. . .but. . .there was blood dripping down the dagger. . .and he was dead." Kid looked up. "That boy was. . .was you, Serge."  
  
Serge gave her a grin. "So now you think that's gonna happen? Lemme tell ya somethin'. I know about dreams. Sometimes ya dream about someone, and the next day ya see 'em. It doesn't mean nothin', just some foresight yer brain has." He put the swallow away, turning toward the path. "'Sides, I don't go down that easy."  
  
He turned. "Uh. . .now how're we gonna get back ta the path?"  
  
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Serge glared up at the sky. "And I thought it'd be cool in the valley!" he muttered.  
  
"Maybe we should've stopped by Divine Dragon Falls before coming here." Kid agreed, looking around Fossil Valley.  
  
"Hey! You over there!" one of the two dragoons from the entrance called to them. "Keep out of the way of our men on the higher ground, eh?"  
  
"Sure!" Serge called back with an angelic smile. He turned to Kid. "Why don't we see what our dragoon friends're up to?"  
  
"But the others said-"  
  
"Ta hell with the others. C'mon." Serge walked toward the dragoon at the rope ladder. "They might have a fan or somethin' up there, anyhoo."  
  
"Serge. . ." Kid began, but stopped, shaking her head with a small smile. She followed him. After all, what kind of trouble could they get into?  
  
"Are you the exorcists?" the dragoon asked.  
  
"We're just a pair of-"  
  
"Yeah." Serge cut Kid off. She glared at him.  
  
"Right this way, then." The dragoon gestured to the ladder.  
  
Serge cocked his head toward the ladder with a smile at Kid. She sighed, shaking her head, but she headed up the ladder. "Yai!" she cried out as a hand grazed her, putting a hand to her backside and spinning to face Serge, who was climbing up after her.  
  
"Oops." was Serge's only reply.  
  
"Grrr. . ." Kid muttered before continuing up, a lot faster than normal.  
  
Once up on the cliff face, Serge glanced around hopefully for the electronic fan he'd mentioned, but found nothing of the sort. Most of the guards were talking or comparing notes, fanning themselves with paper that had already curled up and fried. "So much for the fan. . ." Serge muttered.  
  
"Are you the exorcists?" one dragoon asked.  
  
Kid felt a jerk of realization as Serge agreed, asking for what amazing feat they needed to perform. "Serge. . ." She pulled him aside. "You tell me just WHAT we're supposed to do when we almost get KILLED by this ghost or whatever!"  
  
"It can't be all that hard, can it?" Serge asked. "It turns out it wants ta destroy stuff, we destroy it. We're just supposed ta stop a weird sound that's freakin' the dragoons out. What babies."  
  
Kid sighed as Serge headed toward the old dragon skull. 'What if it can't be destroyed. . .' Crossing her arms, she followed.  
  
"I can't find anything-what the hell. . .?!" Serge stared as a skull, painted with clown makeup, walked out of the skull. No, not walk, more like hop. With each "step", the skull's lower jawbone hit the stone with a crack.  
  
Turning to Kid, it cracked once more. "I get it. I'm dead, and you're dead too."  
  
"No, I'm not-"  
  
"But I lost all my body parts, and I can't remember a thing." the skull cut her off. "I have a feeling if I find all my body parts, I'll recover my identity." He looked up at her. Kid saw pleading in the hollow sockets, as impossible it may seem. "Will you help me find everything? I can't exactly navigate at this state. . ."  
  
Kid knelt. "Do you remember anything? Anything at all, a favorite food, an object. . . ?"  
  
"Just a crash." The skull frowned, or it looked as though he did. "A big explosion. . .I think I was in an accident. But that was almost three years ago, so it's foggy."  
  
"Yeah, we'll take you with us. Maybe we can help you on the way." Kid told him.  
  
"Thanks! I'm pretty heavy, but don't swing me around too much or I'll get nauseous." he told her as she took him up.  
  
Serge had gone unnaturally quiet. "How did. . .how in the physical world. . ." he began, but didn't finish. He stood from his stooped position, scratching his head in confusion and bewilderment. "I guess it's because it thinks your dead."  
  
Kid shrugged, throwing her braid over her shoulder. "Termina, then?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess." Serge nodded and headed for the ladder, coming closer to his original emotions.  
  
"Skulls aren't supposed to hop around!" the head dragoon told them.  
  
'Like we don't know that.' Kid imagined herself replying.  
  
"You must have used some kind of supernatural trick!" he continued.  
  
Kid stopped, worried he might want them to perform more. She took Serge's arm, hauling him toward the ladder. "Yeah, it's called, uh, Flying Spirit." she told him quickly before disappearing down the ladder.  
  
A/N: Okay, I think I made that one a little longer than I wanted. Termina's next, if I can get any more juice out of my overworked brain. I've already written down some of the things that happen at Fort Dragonia, but I'll hold it from you 'til I'm at that point! Heehee! Oh, and Kid-fans, I had to give Serge her accent. There's no way around it: Kid was roughed up during life, so if they switched places, Serge would be roughed up during life, and gain the accent.  
  
Sorry if Kid seemed a little more mobile and less shy than the Serge in the game. Sorry if it seemed long. It's like ten pages, but I don't know if that's normal. Sorry I changed some things. I couldn't remember what Skelly said at all, so I just remembered what I could. Sorry I won't shut up. I will now. 


	3. Old Friends and Foes

Okay, sorry it took a while. I've been concentrating basically on Chrono Truths, which hasn't gotten any reviews yet. If things continue that way, I won't update, even though I already have several other chapters written! But I've gotten kinda bored and moped around the house some, playing Nintendo (yes, the VERY old one), which is weird for me.  
  
Disclaimer: The usual drill. I don't own anything. There you have it.  
  
Three: Old Friends and Foes  
  
Kid stopped at the end of the ladder. It was then that she realized she had made a mistake. "Oh. . ."  
  
"What?" Serge turned. "Aha. . ." he murmured, noticing the Dodo guarding the remaining egg in her nest. "Hey, d'you see that egg?"  
  
Kid looked swiftly at him. Serge ducked around the sleeping Dodo, heading for the egg. His eyes on the bird, he swiped the egg from its nest, returning to Kid quickly. But the Dodo was awake now. "SQWAAA!" it cried, leaping at Serge. He jumped away just in time, gaining only a scratch on the arm.  
  
"S-Serge. . ." Kid began. "Maybe you should return the egg."  
  
"C'mon." Serge pushed her up the ladder in front of him, dodging the fierce swipes from the Dodo.  
  
They reached higher ground again, just as the ladder, which was actually the tailbone of the dragon's skeleton adorning the area, shook violently due to the frantic attempts of the Dodo. Kid stopped, searching for the rope ladder. Noticing a blue flower near it, she carefully picked it for safe-keeping. Turning to the ladder, she nodded. "This one this time. Hopefully we won't be met with some other life-threatening situation."  
  
But Kid had to eat her words almost instantly. Serge put out an arm to stop her as they began toward the north exit of Fossil Valley.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked, seeing his bored but bitter look.  
  
"Look familiar?" he returned, pointing in the direction of two oh-so- familiar dragoons.  
  
"Them again. . . ?" Kid sighed. "Maybe we can slip by them."  
  
Serge allowed himself a bitter laugh. "Wanna bet? These two're dense, but they're not completely stupid, mate." He sighed. "Let's get closer. They might leave."  
  
The two edged toward the dragoons. Peppor was arguing with his brother about returning to the prosperous Viper Manor. "H-hey, do you remember what that girl was shakin', anyway?" he asked when they came to a standstill.  
  
"Why-"  
  
Both Kid and Serge jumped as the Dodo, on higher ground beside them, squawked loudly. Solt noticed them, as his back was to the exit, and pointed to Kid. "Just something justly like that, Peppor." he told his brother triumphantly.  
  
"'They're dense, but they're not that stupid.'" Kid repeated in an undertone, glaring at Serge. "We could've just slipped by! They're too limited up here!" she told him, pointing to her temple in a position where the dragoons couldn't see.  
  
"So I made a mistake. It's not like we're gonna bloody die." Serge shrugged, also speaking in a low tone.  
  
"Hey! That's her!" Peppor exclaimed, pointing to Kid.  
  
"Spoke too soon, didn't we?" Serge asked Kid.  
  
"Shut up and fight." Kid replied harshly, taking out her dagger.  
  
Serge gave her a surprised look as he brandished his swallow. 'I think I'm rubbin' off on her.'  
  
Peppor's ax collided with the sea swallow as he rushed at Serge. He stole a glance at Serge's Element Grid before jumping away. "Black Element!" he called to Solt.  
  
"Yes, Peppor, I made sure to bring one." Solt told him, beginning to jaw on mercilessly about how he hadn't forgotten.  
  
"JUST SHUT THE HELL UP AND USE IT!" Peppor bellowed, his face reddening.  
  
"Y-yes Peppor." Solt threw an ebony box into the air. "TurnBlack!"  
  
"What?! I thought that was a-!" Peppor began, but the familiar strands of magic were rising up around Solt as he cast the Element.  
  
Serge looked down at his Element Grid. Looking up again, he began to laugh. "Ya changed me innate! What a crisis!" he called to Solt.  
  
"You fool! That Element made him more susceptible to white Elements! I hope you brought some of them with you, or you're stupider than I thought!" Peppor exploded.  
  
"I didn't bring any, I fear." Solt told him fearfully.  
  
"Why do I even try. . . ?" Peppor murmured. "Just attack 'em then!"  
  
Solt was quick to oblige, attacking Serge once more as Peppor went for Kid. She was soon on the ground, blocking the ax with her dagger. Deciding to see what useful materials the dragoons had on them, she kicked Solt in the navel twice, somersaulting him off her. She scrambled to her feet, pulling out a red Element. "Pilfer!" she cried.  
  
"Wha-?" Peppor turned, releasing his hold on a barely conscious Serge's throat. Kid had already made her move, swiping a Tablet from the dragoon. Frowning, but not permanently mourning for the loss, Peppor turned back to the boy, but he had disappeared. He gasped as he felt the sting of a gash along his side. Clutching the crimson streak, he turned to see Serge, crouched somewhat from his performance. He straightened, setting one end of the swallow into the dirt as he faced Peppor. The Tech known as Dash&Slash had worked nicely.  
  
"AAAAAAHHH!" Solt ran by, pursued by flaming spheres. Another pelted him as Kid followed close behind, holding a small box marked Fireball.  
  
"Retreat!" Peppor cried. He began to limp toward the forest, though Solt soon passed him, still being tailed by the two remaining spheres.  
  
"Bloody babies." Serge muttered, wiping a rag quickly over the twin blades.  
  
"I almost can't believe we're stronger than them." Kid murmured, sheathing her dagger. "They're fully-fledged dragoons, and we're just kids running willy-nilly."  
  
Serge laughed. "Them? Dragoons? I wouldn't bet on it, mate. I think those two're rejects, kept in by rich dads 'r somethin'." He re-strapped the swallow to his back. "Nah, the others're stronger. I know from past experience."  
  
Kid stole a glance at him, noticing pain on his face. She didn't ask.  
  
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"I'm sorry but we're all out of bellflowers." The woman explained to the knight at the entrance to Termina. "There's a ruckus down in Fossil Valley, something about the dragoons finding a ghost down there."  
  
"I assure you, the dragoons are only doing their best to protect El Nido." the knight in question, Glenn, replied.  
  
"Oh, that's okay, I can get my flowers from other places too." the flower vendor replied, shrugging. "So what happened to Karsh?"  
  
"I heard he went ghost-hunting down near Arni." Glenn told her.  
  
"Ghosts! Oh my! Porre might invade, and now this! I do wonder if we're safe here!" the flower vendor bustled, setting a colt's foot carefully into its pot of ice.  
  
Glenn nodded to her. "I must return to Lady Riddel. Madame." He strode up the steps to the rest of Termina.  
  
"Ain't Karsh that bastard we met at the cape?" Serge asked, turning to Kid. "Ghost-huntin'. . .that's you, mate!"  
  
"Yeah." Kid frowned. "But I still don't understand what he wants with me!" she exclaimed in frustration.  
  
Serge exhaled deeply. "Ah, well, we'll see what else we can find on this Karsh fella."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Kid turned as Leena ran up to them, followed closely by Adam and Arni's famous two-tailed dog, Poshul. "?"  
  
"I was just going to Termina myself, but you left so early we couldn't catch up with you." Leena explained.  
  
"Early? What time?" Kid asked. This was news to her.  
  
"Almost six." Leena told her.  
  
Kid jabbed Serge in the rib. "Slavedriver!"  
  
"Leena just thought you might want some company, er. . ." Adam trailed off, sending her a cocked glance.  
  
"Kid. It's Kid." Kid told him.  
  
"Kid. Okay." Leena bit her lip. "I'll go with that. You don't insist that you're THE Kid, right?"  
  
Kid shook her head. "I just like the name."  
  
"See, she went kinda cuckoo for a while." Serge rotated his index finger around his right ear. Kid gave him a non-too-gentle shove.  
  
Leena laughed merrily, trying to catch Serge's eye. Kid noticed.  
  
"Serge, um, why don't we head into the bar?" she asked.  
  
"We'll go stock up on Elements." Leena told them. "I also have something to give to a friend there."  
  
Serge stopped, holding the door open for Kid to charmingly mimic a chauffeur. Kid laughed at this as he followed her into the room. He was NOT the type. She did notice a group of what looked to be bad characters at one small table in a corner. She could feel their eyes on her, and almost regretted that she exposed so much of herself.  
  
The two found a small table near the bartender after ordering, where they rested a while, Serge explaining some things, but not all, from his past. This was interrupted as Kid heard a voice behind her.  
  
"Hey, what sugar've we got here?"  
  
She spun to see one of the bad characters, thuggish and covered head to foot in brawn. Threatened, she whipped her dagger out, but the man caught her hand, approaching her. As he put out a hand toward her, a younger hand latched firmly onto his wrist.  
  
Serge twisted it. "Hold," he began calmly, twisting he man's wrist further, "the," he twisted it even further as a cry escaped the man, "sugar." He released the thug as his wrist cracked, throwing him back aways. The thug sat up, shaking his good fist at Serge. Kid thought he was yelling something about revenge, but she couldn't tell from all the profanity, which I could never come close to relating.  
  
"Maybe it's time to leave." Kid murmured, standing. Serge agreed, setting his drink back on the counter. "But who were those guys?" she asked him, once outside.  
  
"Old acquaintances." Serge explained simply. "They have an eye for girls, if ya know what I mean."  
  
"I know alright." Kid muttered, her index finger tracing the handle of her dagger. She looked up to see the statue of General Viper, where an old man was scrubbing it.  
  
"Ya know, that old guy was scrubbin' that statue when we got here, and he still ain't done. But the thing looks bloody clean already!" Serge shook his head.  
  
Kid shrugged. "We can ask him."  
  
She continued up the steps to the foot of the statue. The old man polishing it was talking to himself as he did so, but then turned to see the two of them. "You know, I was invited to see Viper Manor a while back. They have guards that can kill a monster with one blow! But it was a palace, heaven on earth, you might say." he told them with the memories guiding him the whole way. "But while important people like myself might be invited to the manor, the most you kids would get would be a cold reception from the gate guards! Hohohohoho!"  
  
Serge shrugged off the laughter, turning to Kid. "From what Gramps's been tellin' us, the manor's a bloody big place, and that makes it easy ta break into."  
  
Kid knew where this was going. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Karsh's one of the Dragoon Devas, who're stationed at the manor." Serge explained. "We can break in ta get face ta face with this Viper bloke, and find out just what he wants with ya." He cocked his eyebrow. "Whadd'ya say, mate?"  
  
"This is getting crazy. . ." Kid murmured. "But I need to find out what the hell's going on. I'll come."  
  
"Beauty, mate! Now from what I hear, there're three ways to enter the manor." Serge told her.  
  
"Hear from who?"  
  
"Experts who've done it before."  
  
"I should've guessed."  
  
"Anyway, you can enter through Shadow Forest, which ain't bad, but some of the plants there're a nuisance. Then there's the bluffs, and we'll need a boat for that, if ya wanna go through a lotta hell with the critters there. And then, ya can just bust right through the gates and walk in like ya own it." Serge ticked them off. "Which, we might not wanna do, cause I hear they strengthened their security since a friend of mine bust a big one during the general's tea."  
  
"The bluffs sound okay." Kid nodded. "What're the good points to that one, d'you know?"  
  
"Relaxin' boat ride, and we'll be strong enough ta face even L-er, even Viper himself from the battles." Serge told her.  
  
"Hey, what's going on over there?" Kid pointed to a tank where a demi- human was arguing with the vendor from on top of the tank.  
  
As the two rushed off to see what was wrong, a fortune-teller turned lilac eyes on Kid. "Must be Mistress Fate alone." she murmured. "Fate indeed!" she chuckled to herself.  
  
A/N: I STILL don't know what I should call Lynx. He has to bee a girl for this to work. I mean, Kid in Lynx's body, and Lynx being a guy, I'm sorry, but that is NOT RIGHT! So R&R to tell me what you think I should call her.  
  
I KNOW I changed some stuff, okay? I KNOW. I just couldn't remember all the dialogue, even though I've played the game like ten times. 


	4. The Crazy but Touching Town of Termina

I might as well have died and gone to heaven, don't you think? Here are the reasons I couldn't get this one up:  
  
1. My teachers decided homework was the best thing in the world, so I had little time.  
  
2. I discovered an unusual talent for drawing within the empty recesses of myself (unfortunately, I can't put any of it up on rpgdreamers or something because the one scanner my mom had said "What the hell, I'll work ONLY on the ONE COMPUTER IN THE HOUSE that takes FIVE YEARS just to start up.").  
  
3. When I finally managed to get on the PlayStation to find out what Glenn and Riddel said, I found I was at the point where Serge goes in to find Kid, and it would take a while that I didn't have (thanks Kid Majere!).  
  
4. My brain. . .died. Literally died. I could NOT get it to work.  
  
Disclaimer: Yadda yadda, don't own the dirt on my shoes.  
  
And. . .AAACK! I forgot about the Teleporter! The one thing I promised myself I would never do! -_-; Oh boy. . .Wait, wait, I can make this work. . .  
  
Chapter Four: The Crazy but Touching Town of Termina  
  
"HEEEEY EVERYBODY! THIS SHOP'S A BUNCHA BALONEY!" the girl shouted, her voice resounding through the city. She was perched on a wall where the vendor's merchandise was placed.  
  
As the vendor, her face red with embarrassment and anger, began arguing with the girl, Kid shook her head. "I don't understand. What's going on over there?"  
  
Serge shrugged in reply. "Somehow I don't think they're at a point where they'd like ta explain."  
  
"G-go back to your filthy demi-human friends!" the vendor shouted, her voice still shaking at the accusation.  
  
"CHA!" the demi-human retorted, scowling at her. "I won't take that from a stuck-up dirtbag like you!" She kicked dust into the vendor's face, causing her to cough, before leaping over the side of the wall. Serge and Kid glanced about, surprised by the sudden apparently suicidal action. There was a thump and a splash, as though she had hit something wooden. Serge glanced over the railing of the walkway suspended over the glistening water. He nodded as Kid joined him. The demi-human was calmly paddling her small craft down toward the shrines.  
  
Serge gave Kid a smirk. "Boatgirl, check."  
  
"Who was that?" Kid asked the vendor.  
  
"That's Mel. She lives in Guldove." The vendor wrinkled her nose in her contempt for the girl. "I wonder why she hangs around in Termina all the time. . . ?" She shook her head. "You shouldn't deal with the likes of her."  
  
"What made him do that, though?" Kid continued, interested in this demi- human.  
  
The vendor frowned, putting her hands on her hips and pressing her lips together. "She disapproved of the captivity of a collector's item mermaid!" she told them, ripping a cloth off of the tank beside her.  
  
The mermaid in question had a tail of gold, shining in the sunlight. Her hair was brown with strands of green mixed in, Kid noticed as they floated weightlessly in the water. She turned, exposing the fin-shaped ears. Her eyes, slanted in the natural mermaid fashion, were a startling rose. She had been examining a plant in one section of the tank when they arrived, but now she left it, swimming forward to place her hands helplessly on the glass of the tank. Both teens saw the pleading in her eyes. Her cheeks were red, as though she had been crying, which she probably had. But before she could attempt communication, the vendor slipped the sheet back over the tank, hiding her from view.  
  
Kid had half a mind to switch the vendor with the mermaid and see how SHE liked it, but she didn't want to cause any trouble. There wasn't much either she or Serge could do physically, and she could tell that talking it over with the vendor wouldn't change anything. The most they could do was walk on toward the shrines. But as Serge passed the tank, he was sure he heard an almost inaudible sobbing emitting from it.  
  
"I think Leena should be outta the shop by now." Serge remarked to Kid as they returned to it.  
  
"Yeah, she's probably in the bar by now." Kid agreed.  
  
Serge paled. "The bar?"  
  
"Why the tension?" Kid asked.  
  
"I'd better make sure they're safe. Remember the bloke who made a move for ya?" Serge reminded her.  
  
"Oi." Kid murmured, coming to a stop then and there.  
  
"Oi is right." Serge made a beeline for the bar. "Don't follow me! I'll be fine, 'kay?" he called over his shoulder.  
  
Kid stood in the middle of the road, feeling like a useless idiot. 'Dammit, what am I supposed to do then?! I've got to do SOMETHING to help!' she thought to herself, frowning. 'Hey, wait, I didn't exactly PROMISE him I wouldn't follow. Hell, I didn't even RESPOND, now did I? And it's not as though I can't hit a target with this dagger.' She held it up, inspecting it and wondering just how much damage she could inflict on someone who came after her cousin.  
  
But before she could attempt to enter the bar, Serge came out with an unconscious Leena in his arms. Poshul was trotting beside him, looking distinctly ruffled, and Adam was trudging behind him, nursing an arm Kid would classify as most definitely BROKEN. But what scared her the most was that Leena's clothes were also ruffled-too ruffled for Leena.  
  
"What happened?" she whispered as Serge approached.  
  
"You don't wanna know." he replied.  
  
"She's not. . . ?" Kid didn't need to finish the sentence, fearing the worst.  
  
"Nah, she's not dead."  
  
". . .That's not exactly what I mean."  
  
"Oh." Serge nodded. "OH." he added, understanding further. "No, I caught the bloke 'fore anythin' serious happened."  
  
Kid sighed in relief, putting a hand to her chest the way her mother used to after she had fallen out of a tree and emerged unscathed.  
  
"These three should rest at an inn." Serge jerked his head toward Poshul and Adam, at the same time gesturing to Leena. "Adam picked a bad fight with one of the tougher of the bunch, and lost, even though he had Poshul's help."  
  
Kid nodded. That had been painfully obvious (literally), given their condition.  
  
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"So we can't take them with us to go to the manor?" she asked later as she and Serge stood outside of Termina's inn.  
  
"Not at this point, no." Serge fumbled in his pocket. "But I do have somethin' that can get 'em with us once they recover." He held up a strange silver gadget with one crimson bulb, blinking periodically. "It's a Teleporter. The way ya use it is. . .ah, hell, it's a real pain in the arse ta explain. I'm sure you'll figure it out."  
  
Kid shook her head, smiling, as she took the device from his hand. "Nifty. But I don't think I'll be able to use it until I understand it."  
  
"I'll explain on the ride ta Viper Manor." Serge told her. "The only drawback's that ya can only have three members in yer group if ye're usin' the Teleporter."  
  
Kid let her lip slip into a mock pout. "That's no fair!" she cried playfully. Turning serious, she added, "Yeah, I think three will do fine. It's not as though we'll do anything after this, is there?"  
  
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Serge stopped Kid as they made their way around the shrines. "Ain't that the knight guy we saw before?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hm?" Kid glanced where he was gesturing. "Yeah, that's him." Her hand lightly caressed the flower she had picked from the valley. Was it the bellflower he was searching for?  
  
  
  
This time the man was with a woman, her hair halfway between purple and blue. "So," she began, her voice filled with sorrow, "she was out of bellflowers. . ." She clasped her hands together. Her green dress made her look a lot like the bellflowers she had mentioned. "That is unfortunate. Then let us pray without any flowers today.  
  
Meanwhile, the other man had seen the bellflower Kid was holding. "Hmmm. . . ?" He approached them, a little uncertainly. "Is that a bellflower you have there?" he asked Kid. "Would you be so kind as to give up that flower to us? We need a bellflower for our prayer."  
  
Kid didn't hesitate. Seeing the pain hidden behind the veil this man had slipped over his eyes, she nodded. "Yes, I'd be glad to."  
  
"For free?" The knight was surprised. "Are you sure?"  
  
"It has much more value to someone with pain connected to it then someone without." Kid told him.  
  
He nodded. "I thank you deeply."  
  
She watched him take the flower back to the woman, handling it as though it were made of china. "Please let me offer my gratitude as well." the young woman told them as the man handed her the flower. "The souls that rest beneath this sword loved this flower in life. That is why we always bring some here when we pray here. . ." She knelt, placing the flower gently onto the gravestone beside them. "Dario, here is a bellflower that you used to love so much. Soon, the flower's seeds shall sprout, grow leaves, and bloom flowers everywhere. And we shall age another year, while you remain the same in memory. . ." The words were spoken streaked with grief, yet with an injured sense of hope involved.  
  
"Father. . .brother. . ." the young man murmured, his voice almost inaudible.  
  
After a thoughtful silence, the young woman continued. "It is such a mystery: this sword never rusts, even when left in the rain. It seems as if the souls of its masters live within it. Do you not think so, Glenn?" she asked, turning to the young knight.  
  
"Yes. . .I have engraved in my memory the lives of my father and brother, who had wielded the sacred sword Einlanzer. . ." Glenn told her.  
  
"Let us hope that is true. . ." the woman whispered.  
  
"What do you mean by that? Miss Riddel, I cannot allow even you to. . ." Glenn began, but didn't finish.  
  
"Do you not think there is something odd about the dragoons of late?" Riddel asked. "Daddy's face show anguish, and even Karsh was saying he was sent on a "ghost-hunt". . ."  
  
Kid's stomach jarred violently as questions in her mind began exploding like fireworks.  
  
"Miss Riddel. . ." Glenn began again.  
  
"Everyone has been acting oddly, ever since that beastly guest arrived at the manor. . ."  
  
Kid saw Serge's face harden, but he shook his head. No, it couldn't be true, it couldn't be her.  
  
Glenn didn't protest this time, remaining silent.  
  
"Glenn, promise me to always keep the unclouded truth in sight." Riddel told him, worry in her almond eyes. "Do not be swayed by the masses. The splendor of the Einlanzer must not be tarnished. . ."  
  
". . .As you wish." Glenn promised solemnly.  
  
It proved to be less solemn to Riddel, who tried to hide a small chuckle.  
  
Glenn gave her a confused look. ". . . ?"  
  
"Oh, forgive me." Riddel told him, though a smile still threatened to crease her young features. "I just found it a little funny to hear you say such words. . ." she chuckled again.  
  
Glenn was silent, probably not quite understanding just what was so amusing about what he said. ". . .Miss Riddel, a chill wind has risen. Shall we return to the manor?"  
  
"Yes, of course." Riddel began toward one exit of the shrines, nodding to Kid and Serge on her way.  
  
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". . .And then she threw it back over the tank." Mel finished. By this time Kid and Serge had managed to track her down. "It was a hilarious sight!" she added to her marine friend. "Oops, customers." She rose to face Serge and Kid. "I'll getCHA some really big fish next time!" she called back to the aquatic demi-human.  
  
The other laughed. "You sure can pilot a boat, but your fishing skills stink!" Before Mel could reply, he turned. "See ya later, Mel!"  
  
Muttering something intelligible under her breath, Mel turned back to the other two. "Sorry 'bout that. What can I do for you?"  
  
"We're tryin' ta get ta the manor." Serge told her.  
  
"Viper Manor?" Mel modified. "WhatCHA gonna do there?"  
  
"Don't ya know not ta go snoopin' in yer customer's business?" Serge shot back.  
  
"Sorry, it's just that I don't know how to get to the manor." Mel told them. "Do you?"  
  
"Didn't think of that. . ." Serge glanced to Kid.  
  
"No." Kid sighed.  
  
"Then next time bring someone who does." Mel sat back down, retrieving her fishing rod from the ground where she had left it when they applied.  
  
"But who knows how to get to the manor?" Kid asked Serge as they mounted the steps back up to the higher section of Termina.  
  
"Hello, young man. It is you again." A strange man, light violet hair spilling over his gold streaked white cloak.  
  
"Heya." Serge waved.  
  
"Who's that?" Kid asked, not remembering such an acquaintance.  
  
"That's Guile. He helped me fight off those blokes in the bar." Serge explained. "He was pretty good with that staff of his."  
  
"And remember, if you don't get it by the end of the week, 400 gil is mine!" the fortune-teller cackled from her tent.  
  
"What's that old loony ramblin' on about?" Serge asked Guile as he and Kid approached.  
  
"Just a bet." Guile sighed. "I must retrieve an item from the manor's mess hall before a week is up."  
  
"Manor? As in Viper Manor?" Kid asked.  
  
"Yes." Guile gave her an interested look. "So you have interests at the manor as well?"  
  
"Yeah, we're tryin' ta get there, only the boatgirl at the shrines doesn't know the way." Serge explained.  
  
"I know the way. Perhaps I could be of some assistance." Guile offered.  
  
"Sure!" Kid agreed, eager to have their little talk with Viper about her would-be-kidnappers. She noticed as they continued toward the shrines how his feet literally left the ground when they ran. Her problem was beginning to get more interesting.  
  
A/N: Okay, I don't know just WHAT THE HELL I was thinking when I wrote about Leena there. All I knew was that I had to kick Leena, Adam, and Poshul behind the door somehow. Flame or review, I treat them equal. This one was longer than most in attempt to make up for the weeks I didn't update. *isn't sure that will do it* 


	5. Raid the Manor: Hey, How Smart is That?

I finally got a review on chappie four, so I'm putting this one up. This one also has the REAL reason why Serge (in this case, Kid) was the one to feed the dragons.  
  
Chapter Five: Raid the Manor - Hey, How Smart is That?  
  
Mel pressed against the paddle, chattering with Serge as she did so. Guile knew the way, so she had asked for 100 gil in payment. Kid found this somewhere in her allowance of 200 gil, and they were on their way.  
  
What she didn't like that much was that Mel didn't seem to be interested in finding the manor at all. All her time was spent with Serge. It wasn't that Kid was jealous, but it gave her a strange sense of insecurity. After all, she was, and would always be, a simple village girl.  
  
Wouldn't she. . .?  
  
She was barely aware of the footsteps against the wood of the ship as Mel's conversation switched to a different vein. "Been bloody quiet." Serge remarked, taking a seat beside her.  
  
"I've just been thinking." Kid explained. "I just can't imagine what Viper would want with ME, just a village girl. Or why he would go so far as to have me kidnapped."  
  
"Ya know," Serge began, but paused, "it might not be him alone. There might be someone else involved."  
  
"Someone you know?"  
  
He was silent a moment. "Nah, can't be. I was just thinkin' maybe Viper had ta sign an agreement with Porre or somethin' that called for you.  
  
"How they would get the idea I was dead right after everything changed is strange. . ." Kid looked toward the sky, which was swiftly becoming night. "As if someone already knew it would be at that moment. . ."  
  
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Serge leapt out of the boat to land beside Kid. He scanned the steep side of the bluffs. "We can make this work. If we go one after the other, we could manage ta climb up those vines."  
  
Kid nodded in agreement.  
  
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Mel asked. Kid didn't respond, for the question was directed toward Serge.  
  
"I'm sure we'll be fine." Serge replied. "And we don't wanna risk ya when ya barely have anythin' ta do with this."  
  
Mel looked disappointed, but nodded. "Good luck, then."  
  
They began scaling the cliff, Kid first, so Serge could catch her if she fell, and Guile behind Serge, so HE could catch HIM if he fell, and, as he was flying, Guile couldn't fall.  
  
"Watch it!" Serge cried out when they reached the ledge. Kid dodged to the side as Serge's swallow was flung upward to kill a strange bat like creature that had been about to attack her.  
  
Kid glanced upward to see a boulder tumbling down. As a cry from the top of the bluffs met her ears, she turned to the others. "They've seen us!"  
  
In this action, however, she failed to see that the boulder hadn't changed course. It hit her forehead in its descent, causing her to fall backward over the ledge. "KID!" she thought she heard Serge call.  
  
Despair alive in his heart, Serge grabbed frantically for her ankle. With a gravity-defying thrust, he caught her. Pulling her safely into his arms, his eyes scanned the ledge for some escape from the now numerous boulders. Guile beckoned to him from a natural archway created by the water streaming down the cliff face. Ducking to avoid any more boulders, Serge ran toward him.  
  
"How is she?" Guile asked.  
  
"Still alive, I think." Serge told him as he set Kid down, examining the blood on her forehead. "I'm gonna kill the bastard who's doin' this!"  
  
"Here." Guile's Element Grid emitted a soft click as he selected a Heal. The green magic rose around Kid as the minor wound healed. Her eyelids fluttered.  
  
"W. . .what happened?" she murmured.  
  
"Boulder?" Serge refreshed her memory.  
  
"Oh. Ow!" Kid cried out as she tried to sit up.  
  
Serge gave her a concerned look. "Yer're okay, ain't ya, mate?"  
  
"Yeah." Kid grimaced. "I just have this splitting headache. . ."  
  
Serge laughed, helping her to her feet. "Try some Tablets or a Brace or somethin'. You'll be okay."  
  
Kid staggered a moment before regaining her balance. "Let's go get the guy who threw that." she muttered, drawing her dagger.  
  
"There's a problem." Serge stopped her. "He's still throwing them."  
  
There was an ominous booming from outside to enhance his words.  
  
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Fortunately, there were many other arches like the first about the fluffs. It was through hiding in these that Kid, Serge, and Guile managed to get to the final ledge. Sending Guile and Kid to safety, Serge told them to wait on him. He would approach the dragoon on his own.  
  
"So you made it up anyway!" the dragoon exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah." Serge whispered. "Yeah I made it. And Kid almost didn't!" He attacked the dragoon with almost insane ferocity.  
  
"No! Serge! No!" came a cry from further off. Kid's feet tore dirt out of the ground as she ran towards him. "Don't kill him!"  
  
But that wasn't what Serge had planned to do, as much as he wanted to. He brought his elbow crashing down onto the unfortunate dragoon's head, knocking him senseless. "Looks like we made it inta the premi-whoa!" Serge jumped back, surprised, as a strange winged creature came close to knocking him to the ground in its approach. It stood in their way, looming over them.  
  
Serge glared up at it. "That wasn't very nice!" he shouted up. The creature snorted, almost in amusement, without showing any other sign of being miffed by his words at all. This only got Serge madder. "Let's get him! He's wastin' our time!"  
  
"Perhaps it would be wiser to form an understanding." Guile suggested.  
  
Kid, torn between the two alternatives, said nothing.  
  
"Are you kiddin'?! This guy looks like he'd discuss somethin' with people like us right after he stuck Kid's dagger up his arse!" Serge argued.  
  
"All intelligent creatures can communicate in a logical and influential manner." Guile replied.  
  
"All INTELLIGENT creatures."  
  
Meanwhile, Kid had done the sensible thing of a girl of her age, and tried to communicate with this creature. "Um, Mr., uh. . .?" she began uncertainly. The creature shot her an intimidating glance. Kid held her ground. "Are you gonna let us past or what, here?"  
  
There was another snort as the creature tossed its head. Two others joined it, only flying together, for they only had one wing each. Holding onto each other for support, the two landed by the other's side.  
  
"Uh. . .Serge? Guile? I think they want to fight. . ." Kid warned them.  
  
"Told you." Serge muttered under his breath before turning to the problem at hand.  
  
"I know I can take that blue one over there," Kid indicated it as well as her red innate, "but we'll need to take the big guy out. You're our strongest fighter, Serge, and your innate is white. His is black."  
  
"Dash&Slash should do the job." Serge told her.  
  
With that said, each of them flew at the designated creatures. Serge used Dash&Slash almost immediately while he and Guile attacked the major of the three. Kid was having a little trouble with the blue innated fighter, but so long as she kept on the offensive, her fiery innate checked in. Her eyes shifted as the black innate fighter clouted Serge brutally in the head. He flew back a ways, but ran back, despite the throbbing pain. It was evident that he couldn't hold on like this much longer. He had used Dash&Slash, but he hadn't used the only Meteorite they had, which was equipped on him.  
  
"Serge! Here!" she called, casting a Cure. Serge stood still, for otherwise it might miss. The healing magic spread throughout him, nursing the injuries he had endured. Refreshed, though not wholly, he ran back, reaching for his Element Grid.  
  
In her momentary lack of concentration, Kid failed to see that the blue innate creature had recruited the help of the red one. They ran toward her together, both fists hitting her directly in the stomach. "Dammit. . .it's at these times I wish. . .we had Leena. . .with us. . ." Kid muttered. She stumbled, hunched over with both arms around her stomach in a futile attempt to stop the pain. A white-hot pain shot through her shoulder as the red innate creature used FireSword, grazing her. She reached frantically for her Element Grid, silently cheering the other two on as she heard the sound of Meteorite being used. Healing magic rose up around her as Guile used another Cure. After taking two quick Tablets, Kid rushed back into battle.  
  
But the black Elements were taking their toll on Serge. He set on hand on his knee, struggling to stay upright, as his arm was pulled down by the swallow. But he attacked just as fiercely. He saw that Kid had taken a thrashing, but now had eliminated the blue innate creature. Why was this black one so hard?  
  
He selected ElectroJolt from his Element Grid in one last hope to eliminate the creature. His healing Elements had run out, and Guile only had one left. Kid was busy, using just as many whenever she had to. A Tablet wouldn't help him now, and that was basically what she had. So this was his last chance.  
  
The creature fell, torn apart by the attacks. His weapon, a lot like Serge's swallow, lay dormant on the grass. The red innate creature, finding himself the only one left, decided to see how he could inflict major damage to them. He cuffed Serge under the chin, sending him flying back and striking his head on the ground before the rest of his body flipped over, causing him to land harshly on his stomach. The grass was blurred as everything darkened. . .then. . .black. . .  
  
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"He took a beating, didn't he?" Kid murmured, sitting with her hands on her knees in the corner of the guardhouse above the bluffs.  
  
"Indeed. He should be fine after we get him a few more Tablets." Guile told her. "That creature was too much for him, but he wouldn't admit it. He wouldn't show any pain at all. . ."  
  
". . ." Kid looked over at Serge. What was it? What had happened to him?  
  
"Ugh. . ." Serge muttered, pushing himself up. "What the hell. . .? What happened?" he asked.  
  
"We just beat those creatures." Kid told him.  
  
Serge grimaced. "Doesn't feel like it."  
  
"After you were unconscious, the last of the three didn't prove very difficult." Guile explained.  
  
Kid looked out at the stars now above them. "Guile and I decided nightfall was the best time to get in."  
  
Serge grinned. "That's right. I think I'm rubbin' off on ya a bit."  
  
"It was Guile's idea."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Serge stood. "What about Mel?"  
  
"Guile flew down to tell her we'd be awhile." Kid explained. "She left for Guldove a while ago. She should be back in a few hours."  
  
"That's all we'll need if we pull this right." Serge agreed.  
  
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Guile beckoned swiftly from the hedge. Kid stepped out from one near, glancing uneasily about. Guards were swarming over the area like bees, as they had been doing since night fell. Becoming impatient with her, Serge dodged along the wall, nabbing her around the waist as he went. Kid opened her mouth to cry out in surprise, but Serge quickly slipped a gloved hand over it.  
  
Another guard looked around suspiciously. "Did you hear that?" he asked of his fellow dragoon.  
  
The other listened a moment, but then shook his head. "It's nothin'. Just keep your guard up."  
  
Guile slipped in a side door, Kid and Serge behind him. The rank odor of week-old animal droppings met Serge's nose as he stopped. He clamped his hand over it, eyes wide and tearing from the smell. Kid had noticed as well, and now had a clothespin over hers, despite the pain.  
  
As he got used to the smell, Serge released his nose, for the odor penetrated his defenses anyway. He began in a slow voice with less of an accent that jumped with sarcasm and irritation: "Guile, what are we doing in the stables?"  
  
"I think there might be a way into the manor through here." Guile searched the stables with his masked eyes.  
  
"Unless you'd care to check under that hay and MANURE." Kid offered, gesturing to a corner.  
  
Guile didn't care to check.  
  
"Hey."  
  
An old man, hobbling alongside a cane while favoring his right foot, had spoken the greeting. "Are you the new helpers I was told about?"  
  
"Uh, actually we-"  
  
"Good! My back's been acting up lately, and I can't work as well as I used to. I need one of you to feed the dragons for me."  
  
"Do ya have a key ta the manor?" Serge asked.  
  
"Yessir." The man nodded. "I'll give it to you if you take on this chore."  
  
Serge turned to Guile crossing his arms. "Who wanted ta come in here in the first place?"  
  
"I thought there was a way into the manor!" Guile replied quickly. Neither one of them wanted to get close to the odor, which was still sticking out like a sore thumb.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, now get yer arse over ta those dragons."  
  
"You agreed to the chore!"  
  
Kid had gone to sharpening her dagger as they argued, but looked up abruptly as they stopped speaking. Her eyes darted from one to the other. "Uh, g-guys? W-why are you l-looking at me like that?"  
  
A/N: Guess what happened. Plz review, I'm working on the next chap. Oh, and I'll be putting up an interesting (I hope) chapter to Chrono Truths.  
  
BTW, when I had to fight those really weird bird-guys at the bluffs, Serge ALWAYS died. ALWAYS. Since I didn't do anything to this one's innate, guess what, HE *died* too. It was very annoying. . . 


	6. Inside the Manor

I'm not really sure when I'll be done with the Viper Manor section of CC, but I'm thinking it'll be three or four chapters. It might not have seemed much further along in the game, but hey, it's six pages. Count your blessings.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own nuthin' but the main idea for the ficcy. Gee, isn't that the same with EVERYONE?  
  
  
  
Chapter Six: Inside the Manor  
  
"Well, hey, at least ya got the key for us." Serge pointed out to Kid as they stood at the door to the manor.  
  
"Eww. . ." Kid brushed frantically at her clothing, as she had been doing between intervals. One of the dragons had caught a virus and threw up on her when she was about to feed it. An AquaBeam had managed to take care of it, but the memory was still in her mind. Gazing at the dragon in muted shock as the yellow substance dripped on the floor, Serge unable to control himself as hysterical laughs wrack him mercilessly. . .the horror, the horror!  
  
She sneezed violently, startling Guile as he began to turn the key and instead causing him to yank it out of the keyhole. "Sorry." she muttered through a stuffed nose.  
  
"Why didn't ya damn TELL us ya had the Flu?!" Serge asked as he cast a Medicine on her.  
  
"Didn't really catch it 'til we got outside." Kid explained in a more normal tone as the aches caused by the Status Effect dissipated.  
  
Guile opened the door cautiously, but Serge rolled his eyes and brushed on past him. "There ain't no need, Guile! Get yer arse in here!" he called. Turning to walk through the doorway, which he thought was before him, he collided face first with the door. "Ah. . .a door. . ." he murmured in a dazed tone, muffled by the wood. Kid walked up to it as he pulled away, rubbing his nose in a furious but futile attempt to keep it from smarting.  
  
"There's no doorknob." she pointed out after examining the door.  
  
"So that's why I didn't feel the bloody pain in the gut that time." Serge realized.  
  
Kid gave him a surprised look. "You walk into doors often?"  
  
"No, they get slammed in me face." Serge explained. "Don't understand why, really. Even some of the kids where I used ta li-er, let's go on." he stuttered.  
  
Kid nodded. Something painful must have happened for him to clam up about anything about his past. She glanced around the room, where two other walls vaguely resembling doors stood at either side of the room. A strange statue stood to their left, a snake coiled upon a pure gold pedestal. Curious, she checked the side.  
  
"The front." Guile motioned. Kid inspected the front as the other two joined her.  
  
"Looks like ya can turn the snake thing." Serge suggested.  
  
"There must be some kind of code." Kid realized. She turned the snake around twice to the left, and thrice to the right. The floor under them plummeted downward as they stood on air for a second before gravity beckoned. Kid cried out, not used to long falls, and landed hard on the floor of a prison. "Shit."  
  
"Yeah, that's what I was gonna say." Serge told her, standing.  
  
The three dragoons at the front of the cage turned to them as they realized they had fallen. "Whoa." One smirked. "You must be pretty stupid to fall for a trap like this."  
  
"Shut up!" Kid demanded, trying to punch him through the bars.  
  
Guile looked to Serge. "Is she always like that?"  
  
Serge shook his head, looking confused. "No. I am."  
  
"We'd better report these to the General." The voice of a second dragoon brought them both back to the crisis at hand.  
  
Running on spare fuel, Serge's mind reeled, searching for something that might let them slip away. A half-baked plan slipped into his mind. If they were well-equipped, they should be able to win. "Chicken!" he called the first name that came to mind. "Ye're all chicken! A bunch of dag-nuts!"  
  
"Serge?!" Guile gave him a worried look.  
  
"Ignore him. He's just trying to put you on." The first restrained the third.  
  
"Ya mean ye're scared of us?!" Serge shot back.  
  
"Serge!" Kid turned.  
  
"That's it!" the first cried. "Open it!"  
  
Kid was frantic. "Now wait just a-!"  
  
But the others had already unlocked the prison holding them. As she was blocking the other two, Serge prodded her forward gently. Kid swallowed, remembering how her Element Grid wasn't equipped, and pushed open the barred door.  
  
The dragoons attacked them at once, grazing Guile on the arm and slicing through the skin of Kid's right leg. As she backed up to cast a Cure, Serge and Guile held the fort. Kid looked up as a flash of white light was thrown from the fight as Serge ran swiftly toward one dragoon, swallow out. There was no way the dragoon could avoid the attack. Injured, the dragoon sagged against his sword, gripping the side Serge had attacked in pain.  
  
Just as Kid was back in business, Guile cast his Tech, Wandaln. He tossed the rod into the air, whereas it disappeared. Holding the invisible/non- existent rod, he cocked it over his shoulder, pitching it toward the dragoon. The rod reappeared in the unfortunate dragoon's chest, then was ripped out ruthlessly to float beside Guile once more. His Health Power drained, the dragoon fell to the floor.  
  
Kid took her turn with her own Tech, after attacking one of the dragoons a bit with her dagger. Using as much speed as she could muster, she dashed toward the dragoon, who held up his sword to protect himself. But she wasn't going for the sword. Kid yanked a parcel from the dragoon's belt, then darted back, tossing the "gift" into the air to proclaim her victory.  
  
The dragoons attacked them again. The first ran toward Serge, but missed him with his first two strikes, and caught him on the skin of his chest the third thrust. Angered, Serge launched two fierce attacks on the dragoon, who had already endured Dash&Slash. This annihilated him. Serge attacked the last remaining with a half-hearted weak hit. Kid could only contribute a fierce attack and a strong attack, but it did well, causing the dragoon to sag as his partner had. Guile floated toward him, delivering a quaint weak blow to the head. The dragoon sank to the floor.  
  
As Serge leaned against the cage wall to rest, Kid bent to the unconscious dragoons. "We could use these outfits to disguise ourselves." she suggested.  
  
Serge examined the material with a look of disgust. "A SKIRT?!" he asked, crossing to look at the dragoon.  
  
Kid batted her hand against his head playfully. "Come on, Serge, we're not exactly doing something LEGAL, here. We don't exactly want to get CAUGHT."  
  
But before Serge could answer, the dragoon sat up with a swift thrust straight toward his chest. Kid and Guile's eyes widened in fear and shock as the sword passed through the boy's chest and out the other side. Serge stared at the dragoon for a second, then brushed a hand across his brow. "Whew. Close one."  
  
"W-wh-what. . .?" Kid managed to squeak. The sword had missed him by a hair, sticking through the space between his arm and side.  
  
Serge brought the flat blade of the swallow down on the dragoon's head. Turning to the other two, he shot them a thumbs up as the dragoon sank to the ground. Kid's mouth was open in an "o" of wonder as her eyes rolled up in her head and she fainted in Guile's arms.  
  
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"We hit the jackpot!" Serge cried, running toward the pedestals of the treasury. He stopped just short of the stairs, his eyes passing over the sword, armor, and shield set on the pedestals. 'Disappointin'. Oh well.' He turned back toward Kid and Guile, who were now dressed in the dragoon costumes, as was Serge. They had knocked out the guards who asked for the password to the treasury. "The Frozen Flame ain't here, so let's just take what's here."  
  
"The Frozen Flame?" Kid repeated.  
  
"Yeah, it's some special rock or somethin' that's supposed ta be valuable." Serge shrugged. "Someone said somethin' about it bein' a monster, and someone else said it could turn stuff ta gold, so no one's really sure just what it's supposed ta be."  
  
"Interesting. . ." Kid blinked as a memory of a dark corner fluttered through her mind. The bright light. . .could that be. . .? No, no, it couldn't. Shaking her head to clear it, her eye caught on a gold pendant hanging on a wall nearby.  
  
Serge was examining the sword, surprised as it literally crumbled in his hands. "This's old. . .oh, well, the shield looks like the only useful thing in here." He removed it from the stand.  
  
"This looks useful." Kid motioned toward the pendant as she stood on the platform below it.  
  
"Yeah. Grab it." Serge agreed, joining her.  
  
"Are you sure? It could be a trap." Guile pointed out.  
  
Serge rolled his eyes, shrugging. "Whatever. Just bloody grab it, mate."  
  
Kid nodded, reaching up to pluck it from its place on the wall. As soon as she removed it, the platform and the wall flipped over to trap them in another room. Her face hit the ground as the floor became a wall, and the wall became a floor. She stood awkwardly in the stiff dragoon armor, turning to help the other two up.  
  
"I told you." Guile reminded Serge pointedly as they found bars in front of them again.  
  
Serge shrugged. "So what? We got the treasure."  
  
"Hmm?" the only woman in the room turned as her perked ears caught the sound of their argument. Bright violet hair gave way to bright almond eyes, one hidden behind a lens. "Oh. . ." she seemed to remember something she had planned earlier, clasping her hands as she took short steps to where they were standing. She opened the cage as the creatures resembling multi- colored Neo'n'Bulbs began making noise in their cages. "Quiet!" she called in a thick German accent. The strange white creature in the other cage began jumping up and down, trying desperately to leave. "You too, Pip!" the woman called to it as well. Turning to look at a board, then at a sheaf of papers on her desk, she nodded to each as she passed.  
  
Serge broke the silence. "Who are ya? And why're ya helpin' us?" he asked.  
  
The woman turned, looking amused. "Helpink you? Vho said anyt'ink about helpink you?" she asked, her voice betraying her amusement. "I am Luccia, de scientific genius of Viper Manor." Luccia introduced herself. "And you vill be a part of vun of my experiments."  
  
Serge stepped back, startled by the unexpected answer.  
  
The Neo'n'Bulb lying on the experimental board stood, waving to and fro by bouncing back and forth on one leg before the other. This position was silly-looking, but the Neo'n'Bulb was poised to attack at any moment from the position, gaining perfect balance from the movement. Luccia pointed toward the three. "Finish dem!" she commanded.  
  
A/N: Yeah, I know, I didn't get all the dialogue correct. So sue me. Wait, don't!!! But even if I just played that section on the PS, I was making good use of the Time Shifter, so I didn't really register what they were saying, even though I usually do. Sorry about Serge and the door. . .I just had to use that. I saw something similar on Ed, Edd, 'n' Eddy once (where Eddy thought a window was open, but it wasn't, and, well. . .), and those shows can be just priceless. Oh well. I thought it was funny. 


End file.
